Preview: 2012 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

Subtle as a sledgehammer

By Graeme Fletcher, Postmedia News

Originally published: July 7, 2011

SMALL

MEDIUM

LARGE

Le Castellet, France – AMG’s philosophy is simple — one man one engine. That’s how each of the über-powerful AMG engines is produced. In the case of the Mercedes E63 AMG I tested at its preview, it was Marcus Jacobi who hand-built the powerplant. I know this because his signature sits proudly atop the intake plenum. His work? Exemplary!

Where the outgoing E63 AMG made do — a term used advisedly — with a 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8, its 2012 replacement gets a smaller 5.5L V8. The 6.2L pushed 518 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, which was enough to make the car riotous ride. The new engine earns a pair of turbochargers that blow fresh air into the cylinders at 14.7 psi. The net result is an engine that will pull the skin off a rice pudding without breaking a sweat.

In base form, it also pushes 518 hp, along with 516 lb-ft of torque at 1,750 rpm! However, for those moments when more than enough is never quite enough, there is the AMG Performance package (around $7,000), which bumps the stallion count to 550 hp, adding a great deal more spice to the car’s pick-up. Blowing the turbocharged air into the cylinders at 19 psi increases the torque to a tire-shredding 590 lb-ft, transforming the E63 AMG from jalapeno-like to habanero hot — and that holds true for both the sedan and wagon models.

The force at play when launching the E63 AMG with the Performance package has to be experienced to be fully appreciated. Nail the gas and the big E63 bolts to 100 kilometres an hour in 4.2 seconds. It also accomplishes an 80-to-120 km/h passing move in a blistering 3.2 seconds. Now, for those of us in Canada, that’s the end of the story. However, for those with access to a track (such as the Paul Ricard Circuit I am at) or an unrestricted section of autobahn, the E63 is like greased lightning well beyond legal speeds, running to its capped limit of 250 km/h (300 km/h for the high-output engine) without backing off one iota.

The powertrain’s other highlight is the AMG Speedshift MCT (Multi-Clutch Technology) seven-speed automatic transmission. The key to its livelier feel is due to the fact the traditional torque converter has been replaced with a mechanically more efficient multi-plate wet clutch. The transmission also offers four distinctly different driving modes and a launch control (race start) system.

In the Controlled Efficiency mode (Comfort mode to you and me), the transmission pulls away in second gear and upshifts as early as possible, promoting greater fuel economy. It also features an idle stop function that shuts the engine down whenever the car comes to a standstill. The net result is a combined city/highway economy of 9.8 litres per 100 km — a 22% reduction from the outgoing car.

Selecting the Sport (S) mode holds each gear a little longer and cuts the time needed to complete a shift. In the Sport-plus (S+) mode the shift time shrinks to just 100 milliseconds, which is half that of the Comfort mode. There’s also a true manual mode, which let’s the engine hammer on the rev limiter until the driver initiates the shift. In the end, the S+ mode proved so proficient it all but negated the need to go manual. The engine’s noise? Oh, my! It sounds so docile at low speeds that one tends to forget the potential under the hood. However, hammer the gas and the E63’s siren song begins to reach a delightful crescendo. The highlight is the burbling backfire that accompanies each speedy upshift under wide-open acceleration or as the system rev-matches on a downshift. Ironically, it is the wagon that is the more visceral — its open back seems to accentuate an already powerful sound.

As for the handling, the E63 is planted and then some. The ride control suspension offers three modes — Comfort, Sport and Sport+. The first and last are more or less redundant, such is the calibration of the Sport mode. Yes, the Comfort mode is a little more cosseting and the Sport+ is sharper, but for most eventualities Sport is the right setting. It limits body roll to almost nothing as the tester’s P255/35R19 front and P285/30R19 rear tires delivered the required grip. The steering is also new. The electro-mechanical system is speed-sensitive, which delivers variable power assistance according to the suspension’s mode. Again, the Sport mode brings the best balance. The E63 ducked and weaved its way around the delightfully serpentine track without so much as putting a wheel wrong.

Should the need arise, there is the sport version of Mercedes’ electronic stability control system. The normal mode is the best — the sport mode allows a surprising amount of sideways slide before stepping in. It is a madman who turns it off completely.

The latest E63 AMG is about as subtle as a sledgehammer when it is driven with purpose. However, it has a softer side that’s truly cosseting. The E63 AMG has the right comfort, the right materials and the right equipment. The only piece of the car not tested was the audio system — the engine’s siren song is that sweet. It also earns a flat-bottom steering wheel, which adds a sporting touch to a cabin that really keys on luxury.

When the E63 AMG arrives in October, it will be offered in both sedan and wagon models. Pricing will start around $106,000.